Winter hiking in the Tetons?

The Tetons are my favorite place on the planet and I want to experience them in the winter. Something more than an easy walk around the lake, but less challenging than a proper winter climb and summit. I'd like to get into the range.

My experience in the park is summitting the Grand via soloing the Upper Exum in summer. I don't ski but have experience with snowshoes in the winter in Colorado, and have standard winter mountaineering gear (insulation/shells/ice tools/mountaineering axe, etc). I have summitted easy 14ers (Sherman and Quandary) in winter and attempted Longs (turned back at Keyhole due to weather and conditions). One thing I don't have is any avalanche training or gear, so any qualifying hikes would have to have little to no avy danger. Not sure if this is possible if I'd actually want to get into one of the canyons, but that's why I'm asking for advice here.

Basically I just want to be in the range in the winter and do a moderately challenging day hike with effectively no avy danger. It would be nice to see one of the more popular locations in winter (something like Delta Lake).

Recommendations?

The road is closed at the Taggart lake TH. So, you'll be somewhat limited to the Southern end of the range unless you want to ski in a ways to places like Cascade Canyon. Cruising into Death Canyon a little ways would be a good outing.     

Even if you stay in the canyon bottoms, at a minimum there are always  slide paths that could come from above. I guess it depends on if you're ok with that or not, depending on the avalanche danger. Getting to Delta Lake in snow shoes sounds like a long, miserable and dangerous proposition.

Snowshoes are certainly possible but the beauty of the Tetons in the winter is the ski down. Avy danger is always a concern but there are places easily accessible with snow shoes. Death Canyon is a good suggestion. Delta Lake would not be a good choice. If you do come please do not snowshoe on any ski specific trails. Getting up in to any of the high canyons is going to be a trudge at best. You could snowshoe out the road and access Cascade Canyon. Maybe call the park and see what they have for suggestions.

It'll work ya.

"Basically I just want to be in the range in the winter and do a moderately challenging day hike with effectively no avy danger"

If you haven't already, try some safer moderately challenging terrain to get a feel for how difficult backcountry travel is on foot and how time consuming it might be before heading out on a long hike into the BC. Moving around on foot is very time consuming unless the snow is consolidated, and walking up & down slopes in snowshoes can be a real pain in the ass.

It certainly helps to read up on some basic avalanche hazard mitigation skills in terms of route selection if you plan to venture out to more distant places in the BC. Keep in mind that with a LOW avalanche forecast the odds of staying out of trouble are pretty good but like a weather forecast, an avalanche forecast is highly unreliable in the variable Teton terrain. There is no substitute for common sense backcountry skills.

Let's assume you are wishing to stay under 9500 feet or so, and hiking no more than 5 miles into the backcountry (not purposely seeking out terrain needing crampons or an ice axe but which you might encounter). Moderately challenging day hikes can be done into the canyons, and safely. The only big difference between you and most people is that you will not be on skis.

Places like Garnet Canyon and Granite Canyon are pretty tracked out in the winter so it might be easier and safer to venture into popular terrain. Even if you're not alone, it's a very different world, and quite spectacular, compared to summer. Delta Lake is certainly doable. Rangers go up to the weather station at Surprise Lake just above Delta Lake during the winter. Skiers are in Glacier Gulch & Garnet Canyon & Granite Canyon & Death Canyon, etc. Obviously, natural hazards are everywhere just like during the summer.

FYI to anyone going into the Teton BC: Teton Backcountry Rentals in Jackson has a good selection of rental gear for backcountry adventures in the winter. Places like Dornan's rent snowshoes but they have a limited supply of rental gear for the BC. As the snow consolidates throughout March, you may find it easier to walk over the snow toward the end of the month. You might not need snowshoes if you choose the right day, time of day, and the right route. The backcountry in April (spring) is just like the BC in March but it is usually easier to get around and a tad warmer.

Good luck on your winter adventures, Shay.